San Luis Obispo, California

Located between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway, San Luis Obispo — founded by Spanish Franciscan Junipero Serra in 1772 — is one of the Golden State’s oldest communities. And if you agree with its marketing force, SLO Town is also the happiest place in America. San Luis Obispo is known for a couple of firsts. Because of its popularity as a stop with the emerging car culture, in 1925 it became home to the nation’s first motel, the Milestone Mo-Tel. Also, in 1990, SLO Town became the world’s first municipality to ban smoking in all public buildings, including bars and restaurants, thus serving as a catalyst in anti-smoking legislation.